Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R, front) meets with representatives of youth from both China and Vietnam at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Vietnam, Oct. 15, 2013. (Xinhua/Liu Jiansheng)

The establishment of a bilateral
work group to discuss joint maritime development was a "breakthrough"
for China and Vietnam on their way to peacefully handle maritime
disputes, analysts say.

During the talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung,
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged the two sides to pursue substantive
progress in their joint development in waters out of the mouth of the
Beibu Bay, a semi-enclosed sea whose delimitation remains under
negotiation between China and Vietnam, and accumulate experience for
broader maritime cooperation.

Analysts said the establishment of the group sends a positive signal
of the bilateral readiness for solving difficult problems through
cooperation, and the two countries are taking a step-by-step approach in
solving the disputes.

"Joint development in waters out of the mouth of the Beibu Bay is
acceptable to both sides. The approach that the two countries are taking
is to start with the easiest and then to the difficult," said Zhang
Yunling, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The relationship between China and Vietnam has been overshadowed by
maritime frictions in the South China Sea, but the two countries have
made efforts to maintain frequent high-level exchanges this year. Li's
visit followed trips of the Vietnamese president, prime minister and
deputy prime minister to China earlier this year.

The South China Sea issue involves several parties and the disputes
between China and Vietnam are, in deed, bigger and more complicated,
said Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea
Studies (NISCSS).

"The agreement reached by China and Vietnam, undoubtedly, send a
clear message to other claimants that putting aside bickering on
sovereignty and sitting at the table for joint development is a
pragmatic choice. The attempts to internationalize the South China Sea
issue will result in the deterioration of bilateral ties and worsen the
situation," Wu said.

The decision to establish the group was announced just two days after
China and Brunei vowed in a statement to encourage closer joint
exploration and exploitation of maritime oil and gas resources in the
South China Sea.

In a pioneering move, China National Offshore Oil Corporation and
Brunei National Petroleum Company Sendirian Berhad have inked a deal on
establishing a joint venture on oil field services.

Considering that disputes between Beijing and Hanoi over the South
China Sea have, from time to time, upset bilateral ties in recent years,
the multiple results Li's visit to Vietnam achieved are clear evidence
that the two neighbors are showing a greater political will to rise
above their disputes and forge a mutually acceptable path of
cooperation, said Qu Xing, president of the China Institute of
International Studies.

Li returned to Beijing on Tuesday after attending the East Asia
leaders meetings and paying official visits to Brunei, Thailand and
Vietnam.